Washington (CNN) - Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine announced Tuesday she will retire rather than seek re-election this year, surprising colleagues and perhaps casting the future of her seat in doubt.

The decision was made "after an extraordinary amount of reflection and consideration," she said in a statement.

Washington (CNN) - As voters headed to the polls in Michigan on Tuesday, Rick Santorum defended a robo call his campaign used in the state urging Democrats to support its candidate as a vote against Mitt Romney.

But just a few weeks ago on a tele-town hall with Minnesota voters, Santorum decried the mere idea of open elections as polluting the entire primary process.

Dalton, Georgia (CNN) – With Super Tuesday only a week away, White House hopeful Newt Gingrich has turned his $2.50 a gallon-of-gas policy pitch into a fundraising plea.

"Just tell all your friends we're setting it up so you can go online at newt.org and you can give one Newt-gallon which is $2.50, or you can give 10 Newt gallons which is $25, or 100 Newt gallons which is $250 or a thousand Newt gallons which is $2500," Gingrich said to the 500-strong crowd in Dalton.

Washington (CNN) - Two months into the Republican presidential nominating process, many thought that one candidate might have it sewn up by now.

The scenario was simple: An easy win in the first four states, coupled with big support from party leaders, fat bank accounts chock-full of campaign cash and a slew of rival candidates who would have likely folded by now, would virtually guarantee a smooth path to the GOP convention in August and a quick nomination on the first ballot.